Motion picture apparatus

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to motion picture apparatus for continuously presenting for viewing a constantly changing composite image presentation. A multiplicity of conveyors, each having a flexible display band carried on a pair of driven drums, are used to convey a plurality of image segments in a coordinated manner to form continuously a composite image presentation. Each drum has a curved surface on which the flexible band is held as it passes through a viewing position and each drum is positively driven by a direct drive arrangement.

United States Patent [72] Inventor .Iosep Llobet 24-15 Twenty-First Ave., Astoria, N.Y.

2,978,821 4/1961 Kaufmann 40/77.7

3,270,446 9/1966 'Gurule r .l, r. 40/77.7 X

3,299,551 1/1967 Llobet .1 40/32 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,037,423 4/1953 France 40/32 3,596 2/1914 Great Britain 40/77'.7

Primary Examiner-Jerome Schnall Assistant Examiner-Richard Carter Attorney-Pennie, Edmonds, Morton, Taylor and Adams ABSTRACT: This disclosure relates to motion picture apparatus for continuously presenting for viewing a constantly changing composite image presentation. A multiplicity of conveyors, each having a flexible display band carried on a pair of driven drums, are used to convey a plurality of image segments in a coordinated manner to form continuously a composite image presentation. Each drum has a curved surface on which the flexible band is held as it passes through a viewing position and each drum is positively driven by a direct drive arrangement.

MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS RELATIONSHIP TO PRIOR APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. l0,824 entitled "Motion Picture Apparatus" filed Dec. 1, I965, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore, various types of apparatus for presenting pictures and other visual presentations have been proposed. One type of apparatus has for its object rapidly moving a plurality of image segments into a viewing position to form a composite picture, holding the segments substantially stationary in the viewing position for a selected period of time and then moving them rapidly out of the viewing position. Another type of apparatus uses translucent film and projection means wherein the picture is projected onto a viewing surface in rapid succession as in the well-known motion projection of pictures used by the entertainment industry. A slower rate of picture changes is used in slide projection. All these systems operate on the principle of moving the picture or segment thereof rapidly into the viewing or projection position and thereafter rapidly moving itout of that position.

Unlike the visual effect created by the rapid projection of motion pictures on a displaying surface where retentivity of the eye provides the illusion of continuous motion, my invention provides a composite picture or other visual presentation comprising a large number of image elements where each element is continuously moving into view, remaining in view and then moving out of view. The present invention has the advantage over projected motion picture techniques in that it provides a picture of improved clarity, particularly under daylight conditions out-of-doors where motion picture projection has been found to be unsatisfactory.

It is another feature of the invention that each image element is exposed to view on a curved surface for a period of time such that the viewer can see the segment first move into view, continuously move through the viewing position for a selected period of time and then move out of view. Thus, each image elements contribution to the composition and overall appearance of the picture varies as it moves through the viewing position thus creating the visual efiect that the composite picture is continuously changing in its appearance.

It is thus seen that unlike well-known techniques of the projection of pictures in spaced sequence such as by slide projection or in rapid sequence as in a motion picture projection, the present motion picture apparatus provides for the viewing of a large number of image elements positioned on a plurality of moving bands which elements are in continuous movement relative to one another thus providing a composite picture which is continuously changing its appearance as well as its content and form.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Broadly, the present invention comprises a device for presenting at a viewing position a constantly changing composite visual representation composed of a plurality of moving visual elements comprising a plurality of rotatable display bands having the visual elements thereon arranged in such a manner that portions of the bands are presented in a viewing position for a selected time determined by the selected rate of continuous movement of the bands through the viewing position. A positive drive arrangement is provided to move all display bands at the same time and the rotatable drums provide a plurality of curved surfaces upon which the visual elements move through the viewing position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the apparatus including the front viewing opening; FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the internal mechanism of the apparatus; FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 57 show alternative arrangements for providing additional engagement of the chain to the drum gears in which FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional plan views, corresponding in part to FIG. 2, showing the use of idler sprockets to provide a circuitous route for the drive chain. FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation view, corresponding in part to FIG. 3, showing the mounting of the idler sprocket; and FIG. 8 is a sectional plan view of an alternative gearing arrangement for driving the drums.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The apparatus illustrated in FIGS. l4 of the drawings includes a housing I, having openings 2 and 2! in its front and back sides, respectively, for viewing a composite visual representation, such as, for example, the words CINE PANEL displayed on the plurality of display bands 4. Visual elements may be portions of a picture, a letter or a blank space to provide contrast and spacing between other visual elements. Mounted on top of said housing I is a motor unit 3. The visual representation which constantly changes during the operation of the apparatus may be formed of any suitable number of display bands, the use of 48, as shown in FIG. 1 having been found satisfactory. Elements 5 of the composite visual representation which are positioned on the display bands in any suitable manner such as by printing, painting, or use of photographic techniques are capable of movement into, across and out of the viewing position as shown in FIG. 1. A separate group of moving elements form an additional composite visual representation simultaneously in the back opening 2. Each display band 4, together with a pair of spacedapart rotatable supports or members 6, comprise a band conveyor 7.

The elements 5 have on their outside or exposed surfaces, visual representations or segments of visual representations, such as letters, words, drawings photographs, or the like applied on or attached to the bands in any suitable manner.

The display device comprises several identical band conveyors which are operated by a single driving means. For convenience, only one of the band conveyors will be described in detail.

Each of .the band conveyors 7 functions to move the elements carried on the display bands 4 into the presentation or viewing position which, as illustrated in the drawing, are display openings 2 and 2' in the housing. Each conveyor 7 has two rotatable supports 6 and 6', support 6 being positioned adjacent the front display opening 2 for positioning of selected elements for display at that viewing position and the other support 6' being positioned in the rear portion of the housing frame 1 and adjacent back display opening 2. Rotatable supports, including more than one rotating element may be used, if desired, to facilitate support, movement and presentation of the bands in the display openings. The conveyors 7 are nested parallel to one another to cause the elements 5 on which there is displayed a composite visual presentation to be positioned in proper alignment in the viewing position. Alternative arrangements of the conveyors for formingcomposite images having curved configurations may also be used, it being understood that the viewing position or plane may be formed in any desired configuration.

Each band 4 is supported and moved by the action of rotatable supports 6 and 6 which have shafts 9 mounted for rotation in bearings 10 and 10'. Drums 8 which carry the display bands are affixed to shafts 9 and have sprockets 11 and 11' mounted on their ends which engage with display band perforations 12 for positive drive of the bands. The display bands are supported and moved by rotation of the drums through action of the sprockets and perforations and through frictional engagement of the drum surface with the inside of the display bands. The drums may be of any desired cross-sectional configuration, such as triangular, circular or irregular shaped, but

preferably include curved surfaces. The drum may consist of a plurality of rods, spindles or other rotatable elements.

Drum gears 13 which are adjustably mounted on the upper ends of shafts 9 through set screws 14 engage with chain 15 which is in turn driven by drive gear 16 mounted on shaft 17. A drum gear and chain arrangement engaging the lower ends of the shafts may also be used to provide additional driving means for the rotatable supports. Gear 16 is driven by motor unit 19 through motor shaft 21 and gear 22.

The rotation of gear 16 moves drive chain 15 which in turn causes the rotation of drum gears 13, drums 8 and movement of display bands 4. The continuous movement of the drive chains to rotate the drums and the display bands carried thereon produces a novel visual presentation which is continuously changing in appearance, content and form.

Each display band 4 has a plurality of elements positioned on it, the elements having any desired dimension and position on the bands. The display bands 4 are preferably constructed of a single unitary piece of flexible material with the plurality of elements positioned thereon. The bands may be of any desired length. The bands and drums may be opaque, translucent or transparent and may be lighted internally or externally.

It will be noted that where cylindrical shaped drums are used each portion of a segment on the display bands will first be presented for viewing at the point where the band commences to move in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor 7 on which the bands is carried. Each portion of the element will remain in the viewing position until it ceases to move in a direction perpendicular to the conveyor axis. The viewing period for each segment the time during which any one portion of a segment is in view. For example, the letters C" and I" in FIG. 1 are at the end of the viewing period since the letter segments which are moving left to right are about to leave the viewing position. Letters N" and E in the word CINE" are in the middle of the viewing position and all the letters of the word PANEL" are just entering the viewing position.

In FIG. 4 there is shown a motor 19 which is caused to rotate at a selected rate of speed to drive shaft 21 having gear 22 mounted thereon which in turn engages gear 23 on shaft 17. Shaft 17 has gear 16 mounted on it for engagement with chain 15.

Referring now to FIGS. 5-7, idler sprockets 25 are rotatably mounted on vertically positioned shafts 26 which shafts are secured in bearing unit and 10! but are not mounted for rotation. Collars 27 secured to the end of shaft provides a thrust bearing surface for the rotating idler sprockets 25. The idler sprockets perform the function of increasing the length of engagement of the drive chain with drum gears 13 to provide a stronger and more positive drive arrangement. The circuitous path of the chain provides for more teeth of the gears 13 to engage with chain 15 at any one time and greatly reduces the instances of disengagement of the gears 13 and the chain 15 when the chain is stopped and started. FIG. 6 illustrates the use of idler sprockets between every other conveyor 7, an arrangement that also increases the amount of positive chain drive but requires fewer idler sprockets. The band perforations 12 are substantially longer than they are wide to provide more supporting surface of the band 4 on the wider teeth of sprockets l l Turning to FIG. 8, an alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in which suitable drum gears 13 are positively driven by front and back drive shafts 28 and 29, respectively, having a plurality of spiral gear sections 30 thereon for engaging each of the gears 13. If desired, shafts 28 and 29 may have spiral gear teeth cut their full length. Parallel shafts 28 and 29 have driven bevel gears 31 at corresponding ends which engage with and are turned by bevel gears 32 secured to the ends of power shaft 33. Shaft 33 is journaled in bearings at 34 and has a spiral gear section 35 adapted to engage suitable drive gear 16 which is rotated counterclockwise by shaft 17 and associated drive mechanism see FIG. 2).

In the operation of the evice shown in FIG. 1-7, the display bands 4 are moved on their respective conveyors 7 until the elements are properly aligned with respect to one another. The drive chain 15 is then engaged with drum gears 13 which are then adjusted relative to shafts 9 through set screws 14, as necessary, to accurately align the drums and their display bands to assure that the composite visual presentation is properly positioned in the viewing position. When drive gear 16 is rotated counterclockwise by rotation of drive shaft 17 through the drive motor unit and its associated gearing, drum gears 13 will in turn rotate in a counterclockwise direction causing segments 5 to move past into, through and out of the display openings 2 and 2'. Normally, the chain will be driven at a constant speed throughout the viewing sequence but the speed of movement may be varied if desired as long as the movement is continuous.

Operation is continued until all the elements have been displayed and, if desired, the sequence may be repeated, or may be reversed to display the elements in the opposite order. The number of elements that a particular apparatus can display may be varied; however, it has been found that it is advisable to use 40 to 50 display bands with a large number of elements on each band to produce the desired effect of a motion picture presentation.

In the operation of the drive arrangement of FIG. 8, shaft 17 and gear 16' rotate clockwise and spiral gear section 35 of gear 16 is fixed to, or fabricated as a part of, power shaft 33 which rotates with its end bevel gears 32. Gears 32 rotate gears 33 to cause in turn the rotation of drive shafts 28 and 29. Spiral gear sections secured to the shafts 28 and 29 cause gears 13 to all rotate at one time providing each conveyor 7 with a positive drive of front and back drums to prevent slack developing in a portion of the bands or slippage of the bands on the drums.

I claim:

I. A motion picture apparatus for presenting a moving composite visual presentation in a viewing position comprising 1. a multiplicity of flexible display bands,

2. a plurality of image elements appearing on each of said bands to form the moving composite visual presentation resulting from the continuously moving arrangement of image elements in the viewing position,

3. a band conveyor for conveying each of said display bands through the viewing position, each of said band conveyors in turn comprising i. a plurality of spaced-apart vertically disposed generally cylindrical drums for engaging and supporting the bands, each of said drums being driven and only one of said drums of each conveyor being positioned in the viewing position,

ii. an elongated and vertically disposed curved surface formed by one of the generally cylindrical drums at an end of each band conveyor which surface presents the display band during its movement through the viewing position on a similarly formed curved surface such that each image element moves into view as it first reaches the curved surface of the conveyor at the viewing position and moves out of view after it leaves that curved surface,

4. drum gears mounted on the drums at the ends of each conveyor to form two substantially parallel rows of gears.

5. a drive arrangement for driving the drum gears in turn comprising i. two driven shafts one adjacent each row of drum gears for driving engagement with the drum gears in that row, and

ii. drive means for positively driving the two driven shafts,

and

6. power means for moving the drive means to drive the drums a selected speed. 

1. A motion picture apparatus for presenting a moving composite visual presentation in a viewing position comprising
 1. a multiplicity of flexible display bands,
 2. a plurality of image elements appearing on each of said bands to form the moving composite visual presentation resulting from the continuously moving arrangement of image elements in the viewing position,
 3. a band conveyor for conveying each of said display bands through the viewing position, each of said band conveyors in turn comprising i. a plurality of spaced-apart vertically disposed generally cylindrical drums for engaging and supporting the bands, each of said drums being driven and only one of said drums of each conveyor being positioned in the viewing position, ii. an elongated and vertically disposed curved surface formed by one of the generally cylindrical drums at an end of each band conveyor which surface presents the display band during its movement through the viewing position on a similarly formed curved surface such that each image element moves into view as it first reaches the curved surface of the conveyor at the viewing position and moves out of view after it leaves that curved surface,
 4. drum gears mounted on the drums at the ends of each conveyor to form two substantially parallel rows of gears.
 5. a drive arrangement for driving the drum gears in turn comprising i. two driven shafts one adjacent each row of drum gears for driving engagement with the drum gears in that row, and ii. drive means for positively driving the two driven shafts, and
 6. power means for moving the drive means to drive the drums a selected speed.
 2. a plurality of image elements appearing on each of said bands to form the moving composite visual presentation resulting from the continuously moving arrangement of image elements in the viewing position,
 3. a band conveyor for conveying each of said display bands through the viewing position, each of said band conveyors in turn comprising i. a plurality of spaced-apart vertically disposed generally cylindrical drums for engaging and supporting the bands, each of said drums being driven and only one of said drums of each conveyor being positioned in the viewing position, ii. an elongated and vertically disposed curved surface formed by one of the generally cylindrical drums at an end of each band conveyor which surface presents the display band during its movement through the viewing position on a similarly formed curved surface such that each image element moves into view as it first reaches the curved surface of the conveyor at the viewing position and moves out of view after it leaves that curved surface,
 4. drum gears mounted on the drums at the ends of each conveyor to form two substantially parallel rows of gears.
 5. a drive arrangement for driving the drum gears in turn comprising i. two driven shafts one adjacent each row of drum gears for driving engagement with the drum gears in that row, and ii. drive means for positively driving the two driven shafts, and
 6. power means for moving the drive means to drive the drums a selected speed. 